The disclosed embodiments generally relate to a fall restraint system, and in particular a fall restraint system that can be installed on the roof of an elevated structure at a bulk storage facility, such as a dome-shaped fuel storage tank.
Fuel storage facilities, commonly known as tank farms, contain large, cylindrical tanks of oil, gasoline, or other fuel products. Tanks containing volatile organic liquids such as gasoline often have roofs that are shaped as a geodesic dome. Such a shape provides strength to help the roof contain pressures that can build inside the tank as the volatile compound vaporizes.
When a dome-shaped roof on a liquid storage tank requires inspection or repair, a worker must climb onto the roof to perform the inspection or work. Because of the sloped shape of the roof, it is desirable to protect workers using a fall restraint system. However, many existing tanks are not equipped with such a system. In order to install and fasten a fall restraint system, the tank must be drained of liquid so that any welding equipment used to fasten the restraint's anchors to the tank does not create a risk of explosion. This is a labor-intensive and time consuming process, and it also requires the tank to be unavailable for storage operations while the work is performed.
Accordingly, the inventor has developed an improved fall restraint system that can be used with existing roofed structures, such as volatile organic liquid storage tanks having dome-shaped roofs.